Timekeeper
by I'm not telling
Summary: Fenton. Phantom. Potter. Three different names, three different lives. All Danny's to enjoy, deal with, and try not to screw up by having anyone realize he was all of them at the same time.


**Summary:** Fenton, Phantom, Potter. He was just as much one as all the others-they where all his names. The lives that came with them? All Danny's. All his to enjoy, deal with, and try not to mess up by having people find out he was all of them at the same time.

**A/N:** Finally - _finally_ got this ready to post. Been trying to write this story for almost a year, so I hope you like it!

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><p><strong>TIMEKEEPER<strong>

Chapter One

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><p><em>"Tamper with the deepest mysteries<em>

_– the source of life, the essence of self –_

_only if prepared for consequences of the most extreme and dangerous kind"_

—Adalbert Waffling's First Fundamental Law of Magic

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><p>-~o0o~-<p>

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><p>Sirius pushed the bike's engine as hard as it would go, tearing through the air. The wind whipping his hair, and he shook it out of his face. His eyes darted over the streets and throughout the sky frantically. No dark mark, no dueling wizards, nothing. Godric's Hollow was calm, even as he came up on the Potter's home. His hand clenched down harder on the throttle.<p>

He took a sharp turn in the air, back tire flipping around as he dropped closer to the road, coming in view of the front steps of the house. He felt his breath leave him. The side of the house was blown to bits, debris scattered across the pavement. "No, no, no, no, no..." He pleaded under his breath, hands shaking as he turned off the engine on his bike. He jumped off, racing to the house and ignoring the crash behind him as pulling out his wand. His panic increased as he saw the front door ajar, and he threw it open.

The entranceway and front hall were empty. He could hear Harry screaming from upstairs, but nothing else. Only the spare nick-knacks on the floor hinted at the damage on the outside of the house. His eyes trailed up the hall through the dark, and to his horror Sirius could see a set of feet extending into the hall. He was down the hall in seconds, wand lit as he came on the body.

Sirius' breath caught in his throat and he went still. James was lying there, eyes open and unfocused, not a mark on him. Sirius felt his hands shake.

He looked away, eyes wide. He gripped his wand tighter, going further into the house. He had to find Lily. "Lily? Are you here?" He called. "Lily!"

There was nothing but the sound of a Harry wailing. Without another thought, he rushed up the stairs to the children's room, only to be stopped cold in the doorway.

She was there, slumped against the side of the crib, long red hair clinging to the wooden slats. The room had been torn open, roof and walls blown to bits and leaving it barely lit by the predawn sky. Her face was covered in settled dust, and her eyes where as wide and empty as James'. He stood in the doorway, unable to look away, before a whimper from Harry woke him from his stupor. He shook his head, averting his eyes from her to step closer.

He went to the crib's side, and he cursed as he saw dark streaks of blood. He pulled the quilt away from Harry, reaching out to touch the boy's bloody forehead, still leaking a stream of blood. Harry screamed louder, and Sirius quickly wiped his face before picking the boy up to rock him. "Come on now, Harry - shh, shh-" He looked at the other bed in the room, only to find it empty. It was completely unslept in, bedsheets perfectly made and tidy under debris and soot, with no sigh of the older boy. Sirius' hold tightened around Harry. Where was he? Had they hid him? Or-

There was a sharp bang from downstairs, and Sirius tensed. He cast a quick _Silencio_ on Harry, before disillusioning him and putting him back in the crib.

He turned back to the open door, wand held at the ready. They had heard Harry already, he was sure. He should leave now, run away, but he couldn't until he was sure both the boys where alright. He took a deep breath, casting a glance to where he new Harry lay in the crib, and took silent steps across the room to peer down the hall and towards the stairwell.

He heard a panicked yell from downstairs, the movement of someone stomping through the house. Sirius moved out and towards the stairway without a sound. He leaned against the wall at the edge of the stairwell, glancing down the stairs and through the railing. His wand fell in realization. "H-Hagrid?"

The giant of a man, kneeling at James' side, started, whipping out a pink umbrella and pointing it at the top of the stairs. Sirius lowered his wand and stepped out into the open. Hagrid blinked up at him, tears streaming down his face into his beard. "Sirius, is tha' you?"

Sirius nodded quickly, going down the stairs and to the man. To James' side. "Hagrid, what are you doing here?" He asked, voice hoarse.

"Dumbledore sent me. He- he-" Hagrid choked. "He sent me. Said tha' James and Lily would- wouldn'-" He sobbed, looking down at the prone form of James again. "I can't believe - but this... i-is Lily…?"

Sirius looked down at his best friend again, and it was like his heart slowly falling apart in his chest. He nodded, eyes filling with tears. "...upstairs..." He whispered. He couldn't look away - didn't dare to move, not until James moved first. But nothing changed. He was dead.

He fell to his knees, his hands on the floor the only thing holding him up. They where gone, and there was nothing he could do. Sirius choked on his breath. Two wide arms wrapped around him, patting his shoulders, and Sirius' face was up against Hagrid's coat. He punched the floor with all his might and finally broke down sobbing.

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><p>Danny flew into school at about 7:30, slipping into the teacher's bathroom to transform. It wasn't exactly the most glamorous place to transform, but at least he wouldn't get in trouble by missing someone inside a stall.<p>

He slipped intangibly into the hallway, which was empty. Danny sighed in relief, walking towards where the school kept the sophmore lockers and muttering under his breath. "Finally, some time off."

He approached his locker, entered in the combination, and grabbed his copy of _One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest_. It swung closed with a clang, and he debated how he should spend the next thirty minutes before classes started. Most of the time, he'd have already met up with Sam or Tucker while patrolling, but there wasn't any sign of them so far. Danny yawned to himself, heading to his first period class. They'd probably slept in, not that he could blame them - all of them had missed curfew by a few hours. He was still ready to pass out, and he'd already been up for hours. Maybe he'd follow their lead and go to class early, take a nap _before_ school started for once?

He pushed open the door to Mr. Lancer's room, and froze. The room was full. Mr. Lancer's lecture stopped mid-sentence. Danny blinked owlishly at the now silent class.

"Mr. Fenton, what are you doing here?"

Danny turned back to the teacher, a sinking feeling in his stomach. "Err, coming to class?"

The students snickered. Mr. Lancer shook his head and rubbed his temples, turning back to Danny looking pained. "Mr. Fenton, you're in my class during _first_ period, not second."

Danny looked over the room again, at a loss. He sent a confused look at Lancer. "But… first period hasn't started yet." Danny said.

"Oh really now?" Mr. Lancer asked, giving him a stern look. "Tell me, what time is it?"

"Um, seven something?" More hushed snickering.

"I believe, Mr. Fenton," he said, sending harsh look at his students before turning his gaze back onto Danny, "that you are quite mistaken. Maybe you should check?" He cast a glance to above the chalkboard.

Danny turned, eyes falling on the wall clock, and he felt his jaw go slack.

"Yes, oddly enough, it's 9:45. More than halfway through your second period class, which is _not here._" He drawled. "You remember where your second period class is, correct?"

"But- How-?"

Mr. Lancer sighed. "Mr. Fenton, I understand that you're a bit lacking in punctuality as it is, but would you _please_ do me a favor and not miss the _rest_ of second period standing around interrupting my class?"

Danny felt his face go hot. "S-sorry, Mr. Lancer." He rubbed the back of his head, eyes not meeting his teacher's as he took a step back and turned to the door. "I'll, you know, get going."

"Don't forget to get a tardy slip, while you're still downstairs. Oh, and please remember to see me for detention after school."

Danny blinked, hand resting on the door handle. "Wait, when did I get a detention?" He turned, looking at Lancer curiously.

Lancer gave him a deadpan look.

Danny cringed. "Err, right - detention, got it. Bye Mr. Lancer!" He called back, slipping out the door.

The teacher just shook his head. "_King Lear_, I will never understand that boy..."

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><p>Sirius' feet pounded against the street. His eyes darted desperately to street signs, store fronts, anything that would lead him in the right direction. He stopped at an intersection, glancing around wildly. He almost collapsed in relief when he spotted the sign reading 'Fulton', forcing himself to ran faster.<p>

He spotted #37, a large hanging sign marking it as a doctor's office. Sirius barely glanced at it before rushing up the steps to the house and banging on the door.

Tense minutes followed, spent gasping and wheezing for breath and repeatedly beating his fist against the door, until he heard cursing and grumbling from inside.

The door was jerked open a crack, revealing an angry, haggard face. "You bloody git, what in the seven hells are you _doing_ out -"

"Are you the Healer?" Sirius demanded.

The old man was struck silent, before his scowl deepened, looking on Sirius with narrowed eyes. "Yes, but why are you banging on the bloody door?"

Sirius sent the man a pleading look. "Please, just tell me - The Potters, did they bring their son here?"

"Who's asking?"

"I'm Sirius - Sirius Black. I'm a friend of Lily and James. They-" He choked, before shaking his head. "Their house is destroyed, and Daniel - he wasn't there. He's been sick for ages, and Bathilda said she'd told Lily about you. Please, tell me you have him - I'm the boys godfather, for heavens sake!"

The man looked gob-smacked. "Their house has been - Merlin's beard man, what happened to them? Are they all right?"

Sirius swallowed. "No. no, they're - they're... gone." He admitted, voice rough and strained.

"Dear Heavens." The man whispered. "Was it him? You-Know-Who?"

"I don't know." Sirius said. "Please, I just need to find their son."

The man hesitated, looking out into the streets behind Sirius, and opened the door wider. "Come in - quickly."

Sirius slipped inside, and the old healer closed the door with a quiet click. "Follow me. We can get into my office from here in the house."

"You mean you have him, then?" He asked, desperately.

The man nodded, leading him into the the old, cluttered house. "Yes, he stayed overnight."

They came on a plain white door, covered in a few simple latches, which the man quickly undid. He pushed it open, revealing an office outfitted with a desk and numerous filing cabinets. "I've been checking on him every hour, but he's still bad off. I had to put him under with a sleeping potion, when he started panicking. The boy was delirious - completely out of it. I was going to tell his parents they couldn't take him home yet, but..." He shook his head, pushing open a door on the other side of the office. "He's in here."

Sirius stood behind him, and the old doctor flipped the lights on with a click. The cramped room was lined with old books, potions, and a smell fit for an apothecary. And in the corner, stowed out of the way, was a small, shabby bed, with a small, shabby boy laying in the covers, looking like death itself.

Sirius rushed past the man into the room, collapsing at the side of the bed as he looked over the boy. Despite the boy's pallid face and harsh breathing, Sirius felt himself relax with exhausted relief. "Thank Merlin..." He breathed, reaching out to gently rest his hand on the boy's shoulder.

"You shouldn't move him too much. His fever wouldn't break with any of the usual stuff." The doctor said in a hush, having moved to stand behind Sirius. "Had to resort to mixing it with something less reliable - getting him stressed or raising his heart rate could have it back in minutes."

Sirius wasn't listening. The healer drew up just short of the bed, going silent. Sirius watched the boy's ragged breathing, the fact that it was still there soothing some of his frayed nerves. And now, now that he had finally relaxed, exhaustion finding a crack between desperation and his frantic heartbeat, his mind wandered.

He could see in his memories a hundred different moments, just staring down at Danny's face. Back before James and Lily had gone into hiding, when he could visit and see their oldest son start growing up. James' wide grin when he'd first held him, and the look on Lily's faces when Danny slept off the birth. Sirius holding him when he was less than half the size he was now, the feeling of chubby hands against his skin, so warm that they left cold imprints once they left. The way curious blue eyes followed him, eyes now locked tight under heavy lids, peeking around corners and sneaking around the house, making Lily nearly frantic when he eventually fell asleep in his hiding spot. The way he almost shrieked with laughter when being tickled. Even the fascinated look he'd gotten on his face, when he'd first been met baby Harry. Him and James and Lily and Harry. Sirius could see all those happy moments fade away, as the reality finally came to him with the memory of two sets of wide, empty eyes.

This... this was Peter's doing, all of it. James and Lily where dead, and their sons where parentless. Harry off with Hagrid to his aunt's, and Danny sick half to death in a stranger's house.

He stared down at the tiny face, pallid and sickly, and knew it was his responsibility. It was him who had suggested Peter as the secret keeper, and he had been too late to stop it. Sirius' hand clenched around the bed sheet, a flood of seething anger breaking through his exhaustion. He had to go after him.

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><p>By the time Danny had gotten across campus to his science class, the bell was already ringing. He stood there, staring at the open door as students milled into the hallway, spotting both Sam and Tucker's relieved expressions as they saw him.<p>

"There you are." Sam said, sounding exasperated and a little worried. "Where where you this morning? You missed all of first period! You're usually not that late for Mr. Lancer's class, even on a bad day."

"Unless the worlds going to blow up or something." Tucker added.

Danny sent them a grin, laughing nervously. "Yeah." He cringed. That had sounded forced - even to him.

Sam's face fell, and she sent him an inquiring look. "Did something happen?"

"Err, no, not really." He felt his face start heating up, turning away and heading down the hall rubbing at the back of his neck. "This morning's patrol was pretty tame." He glanced back at Sam for less than a second, but it was enough to see the incredulous look on her face.

"Is there something you're not telling us, dude?" Tucker asked, frowning.

"Yeah, if there wasn't anything going on, why where you so late?" Sam crossed her arms. "And while we're on it, why didn't you call me back? You could have at least texted me or something to say you where okay."

Danny blinked. "Wait, you'd tried calling me? When?"

Sam scowled as she came up on her locker. "About half an hour before school started."

"That's kinda weird." Danny admitted, frowning to himself. "I didn't even hear my phone going off."

She hummed lightly as she entered in her combination. "You wouldn't have - it went straight to voicemail. What _I_ want to know is why you switched your phone off."

"...Huh?" Danny's face scrunched up in confusion. "I never turned off my phone..."

"Uh huh, I believe you."

Danny scowled. "Sam, I'm not kidding. I _didn't_ turn off my phone."

Tucker leaned gainst the lockers, raising an eyebrow. "Then you gonna tell us what happened this morning, or do we get to guess?"

Danny groaned. His head fell forward, and Danny stared down at his shoes.

"Well?"

"...I lost track of time."

There was a moment of silence, and Danny glanced up to see the deadpan look on Sam's face. "You managed to loose track of time for a whole _two hours_? Seriously?"

Danny growled, turning away from her, his face going red. "_Yes_, Seriously! I've got no idea how, but at some point I must have just..." he shrugged helplessly, deflating, "you know."

"You're sure nothing else happened?"

Danny glared at her. _"Yes."_ He bit out.

Sam sighed, shaking her head in exasperation. "Come on, let's get going - I don't think you want to be late to any more classes today. We can figure out whatever happened to you later."

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><p>Sirius leaned over Danny as he walked down the street, rain pelting the back of his head. His cloak was wrapped around the boy in his arms, only his face partially visible from where it lay against Sirius' chest. He'd already spelled the boy and his coat against the water, but didn't dare risk the cold even with a warming charm.<p>

He turned his head to inspect the upcoming street, and started jogging. He'd be at Nathan's soon - it was only a few streets over, if he remembered correctly, and then he could head back to London. Get Peter without worrying about abandoning the boy somewhere without wards or someone to trust.

Sirius spotted the house in the distance, and laughed in relief between deep pants. Puddles splashed over his pants in his haste, and he almost lost hold of Danny when his cloak snagged on a tree lining the road, but then he slowed to a stop.

A little larger than the ones around it, and set out on its corner in plain view, was a brick house. Sirius stopped on the corner across from it, and inspected it, suddenly feeling uneasy. He couldn't spot any sort of protective measures around the house - ether Nathaniel had gotten a lot better at them over the last year and a half, or something was wrong.

He glanced around the other streets in the intersection, but saw nothing but rain and the orange glow of street lights. Sirius took a step back, next to a trash bin lining the street, and pulled out his wand. He whispered, pointing the wand at the house.

The tip of his wand glowed a faint yellow, and after a moment an answering light came from one of the top windows. Sirius' shoulders relaxed. The man was still well and paranoid, like always. He didn't have time to find another babysitter at the moment.

He crossed the street and climbed the front steps, pausing at the doorway. He glanced down. Danny was still asleep, face pale as a ghost's, and Sirius' jaw tightened. If things didn't go as planned, there wouldn't be anyone coming back for him.

He shook his head, hardening his resolve as he remembered the letter and just who he was leaving Danny with. No one would look for the boy here - that, at least, he could be assured of. And Sirius knew that was the best he could really hope for.

He kneeled and placed the bundle down on the small landing, patting the boys head gently as he tucked the letter in the folds of his coat, and then approached the door. He took hold of the tiny brass knocker, and knocked three times. He heard it resound in a booming echo throughout the house, amplification charm on the knocker doing its job, and went back down the stairs.

He glanced to the high window again, and then his eyes fell to the steps for one last look. A loud thunder clap, and Sirius vanished.

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><p>"<em>Think<em>, Danny. Was there anything off this morning? Something you brushed off, thinking it was nothing?"

Danny sighed, rubbing his face tiredly. They where in the cafeteria, sitting by themselves in a rather vacant corner with nothing but them and their lunches. Tucker was already starting to devour his food, but Sam wasn't even picking at hers. "No, there wasn't anything like that. The only weird thing that happened this morning was me coming in late. There weren't even any ghosts out."

"But isn't that part off?" She said. "There's always at least a few roaming around, right?"

"Yeah, when we're not staying up 'till midnight tracking them down, maybe. They don't spontaneously generate from the air the second I turn my back, Sam." He said, leaning forward to rest both his elbows on the table, pushing the cafeteria tray further away. Its not like he was eating it anyways.

"Well I don't see you coming up with any ideas."

"Maybe because there's nothing for me to guess at?" He said, looking at her irritably. "Did you think about that? That maybe I just zoned out or something? I was tired this morning - I'm _still_ tired. It isn't that much of a stretch to say I just didn't notice how late it was."

"And your phone?"

Danny hesitated. "Maybe I was flying through a dead zone when you called?"

"That's not what my PDA says."

Danny blinked, turning to the techno geek. "Your PDA?"

Tucker rolled his eyes, taking a bite of his meatloaf. "I've got your phone 'bugged', remember?"

"And it says I turned it off...?" Danny asked, frowning to himself.

"More like it was out of communication range, despite the phone being fully operational and never leaving the range of the local towers. There one second, then 'poof!' - signal gone for for an hour and a half."

Danny's frown deepened. "But that doesn't make any sense."

Tucker shrugged. "I'm not saying it did, at least not yet. But something is wrong, even if its only your phone."

"... You're going to pull it apart again, aren't you?"

Tucker nodded, stretching his free hand over the table. "Yep. Cough it up, Dude."

Danny's shoulders slumped. "Fine." He dug his phone out of his pocked and handed it over, sighing.

"Don't look so down, it's probably nothing." Tucker said, reaching down to dig in his bag, pulling out a small set of tools and setting them out on the table. "I can just check it out and you'll have it back before lunch is even over."

"Great. Awesome." Danny shot both of them a irritated frown. "Now can we drop this? I'm exhausted, and I was planning to have a nap _before_ my finals, not during them."

Sam cringed. "Sorry." She said, lowering her voice in embarrassment. "I-_we're_ just worried. This is the sort of stuff that always happens before something big blows up in our faces."

"I know, I know." He said, sighing. "But I can't do anything until it actually happens."

"Dude, just take your nap already." Tucker said, tiny screwdriver in hand as he started taking apart the phone. "Maybe you'll remember better once you've slept on it."

Sam hummed thoughtfully, glancing to the wall clock across the cafeteria. "You still need to eat, though. I'll wake you up in thirty minutes?"

Danny raised an eyebrow, casting a wary look to Tucker's lunch tray, which already housed three very tiny screws. "And my phone?"

Sam snorted. "I'll make sure he doesn't leave any crumbs in it."

_"Hey!"_

Danny smiled at her. "Thanks." He leaned forward, resting his head down in his arms.

"Sleep tight."

He barely heard her, only vaguely registering the noise around him as he slipped off into the silent blackness, everything fading out and going silent. And for a while, he wasn't aware of anything.

It didn't last, though. There was something, deep inside his chest and creeping up slowly, and it made him squirm. It rose up Danny's throat, and he was forced to sit up as he cough up a small wisp of mist. He groaned loudly.

Sam sighed across from him, reaching out and patting him on the arm. Tucker just shook his head. "Better get going, Dude."

He felt Sam's grip tighten comfortingly, and he looked up. She was frowning. "Tucker and me could probably take care of it, if you're really that tired. You don't have to go."

He felt a smile come to his face, but gave her incredulous look. "You seriously think I'm going to be able to sleep while you and Tucker are out fighting? We don't even know which ghost it is yet." Danny sighed, shaking his head as he stood up. "Don't worry about it - I'll take care of it. I can have a nap when I get back."

Sam looked at him, still frowning to herself, but nodded.

Danny reached over and snatched the phone out of Tucker's hands. "Dude, I'm not done with that!"

"Well, too bad - I need to get out of here while I still-" There were frightened screams from outside the cafeteria, and the doors where thrown open by students trying to run from a pack of glowing green wolves barreling down the hallways. One of the ghost's took the opening, wriggling into the cafeteria with teeth bared, and then everyone was screaming. Danny's shoulders sagged. "-have time to eat. Shit."

Sam snorted. "Well, I believe that's your cue."

* * *

><p>The alarm clock rang, and Maddie woke with a start. She blinked blearily at the glowing red numbers, before reaching out and clicking it off with a sigh. She sat up and slid out of the sheets, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.<p>

The Fentons had just moved in to their new house, having finally finished emptying the moving truck yesterday. She and Jack had picked it out together, both because of the quaint townhouse style and its location near the center of an ectoplasmic hot-spot. It had also been surprisingly cheap, with the seller taking their first bid. The two of them had been overjoyed at the quick buy, and had immediately dropped everything and left their apartment in the dust. They'd only just started up their research again, currently trying to gather data to learn more about the local hot-spot.

Maddie grabbed the clip board off of the side table, slipped on a robe and stepping out of the bedroom, closing the bedroom door behind her. They where currently recording baseline readings, which required that the equipment be checked and readings recorded by hand every six hours. And with how Jack was when sleepy, that left the early morning rounds to her.

She reached the bottom of the stairs and felt around for the hallway light, flicking it on before absentmindedly weaving around a stack of boxes. She squinted against the bright lights, scanning the room until she spotted the umbrella. She tucked the clipboard under her arm and grabbed it, starting to open it as she moved to the front door. She flipped the deadbolt and gently pushed it open, sticking the umbrella out and opening it wide, clicking it securely in place out the door.

Maddie lifted the umbrella up, and paused. She blinked tiredly down at the pile of clothes sitting at the top of the stoop. A crease formed between her eyebrows. Had they left them out here for some reason? She couldn't remember anything like that - she'd thought she put all the laundry down in the basement. Had Jack forgotten something and left it outside?

Well, whatever they where out there for, they where now completely soaked and ruined from the rain. The clothes where so water-clogged that even the strong storm winds couldn't catch them properly, only having enough force to make the loose edges flap wildly. She sighed, flipping on the porch light, and froze.

It was a coat. And there, peeking out from the shadows of the wet cloth, was a very tiny, pudgy hand. _What in the world-_ The wind picked up, pushing on the umbrella and buffeting her hair. The corner of the coat flipped out again, and Maddie's eyes widened as the porch light illuminated the face of a little boy, eyes closed and body completely still. "Oh God..."

The clipboard clattered on the ground, and the umbrella blew out into the street. Maddie was on her knees, frantically reaching for the tiny hand, clutching it tight. It was cold. Her breath froze in her chest. She scooped the boy up, coat and all, rushing back into the house.

She stopped at the living room, almost crashing into a stack of boxes. She looked through the room wildly, biting her lip. Why did this have to happen now? She didn't know where anything _was!_

"Jack!" She yelled. "JACK!" Her arms tightened around the boy, trying to keep him warm even as her front was soaked in freezing rainwater. "JACK, WAKE UP! I NEED YOUR HELP!"

There was a shout and a thud from upstairs, the pounding of feet. Jack screeched to a halt at the top of the stairs, an ecto-gun held tightly in his fist as he stood at the ready. His eyes landed on her and widened, entire stance slumping. "Maddie, what in blue blazes-"

"Jack." She said, relief leaving her breathless even as her arms tightened around the boy. "I was checking the readings outside, and- and-" She looked down at the boy's face. "Someone left him on the step." There was a lump in her throat. His lips where blue, and he hadn't even stirred when she'd started yelling. Tears started blurring her vision, barely clinging to her lashes, and she was choking.

A large, warm hand fell onto her shoulder and she looked up. Her vision swam, but Jack was there, orange and pink silhouette mixing together in her eyes. His voice was low and soft. "Come on, Madds - let me see him."

Jack reached out, and gently pried her arms away from the boy, lifting the tiny body up effortlessly. Maddie just stared up at her husband, hands clutched over her mouth, trying to force herself to breathe normally, and waited.

He checked the boy over gently, shifting him and the coat onto one arm as he reached up with gloved hands to the boys face. There was a moment of silence, before he sighed in relief. "He's got some fight in him yet, Maddie. He'll be okay."

Her eyes closed and her shoulders slumped in relief, the tears rolling down her face. "Thank God."

Jack reached out and gently rubbed her shoulder. "I know, Madds. Now come on - we've gotta pull together and help this little guy. He's completely conked out."

Maddie nodded, taking a deep breath and wiping her face, before nodding again. "I-I'll go grab a towel."

She turned, going into the kitchen and down to the basement. She quickly grabbed a towel, glanced over the stacks of clothes, snagged a blanket, and ran back up the stairs. She was back with Jack in seconds, and frowned as she noticed the change in his expression. "Jack, what is it?"

Jack had pulled the wet coat away from the boy, and was staring down at him in shock. "Maddie, the kid's dry." Jack said, checking him over. "There's not a wet spot on him."

"What?" She quickly rushed forward, looking into Jack's arms. "Are you sure?"

"Positive." He said, peeling back the coat farther to show her the clean, dry jammies the boy way wearing. Maddie stared down with wide, bewildered eyes. "He's burning up all on his own."

"Burning up?" She asked, glancing up at Jacks face, eyebrows knitting together. "What do you mean?"

Jack blinked at her, gesturing to the boys face, which Maddie suddenly realized was red cheeked and clammy. "He's got a fever, Madds."

"But he was so cold..." She said, voice barely above a whisper. "I… I guess that means he wasn't out there too long, at least." Maddie said with a frown, reaching out to brush the hair out of the child's clammy face. She could literally feel the fever radiating off of him. Her heart clenched. "The poor little guy..."

Jack sighed, shaking his head. "It doesn't matter - hand me that blanket, will ya? You look like you could use the towel more than he does." Jack shifted the boy around again, leaning the tiny body against his chest as he pulled off the large coat. Something slipped out of the folds, landing against the floor with a clack. They both looked at it, bewildered.

Maddie handed him the blanket, and reached down to pick it up. She flipped it over, and saw the telltale x-pattern of an envelope. "A letter…?"

"Mommy?"

Both parents started, turning to look up the stairs to see the tired face of their daughter Jazz. She clutched Bearbert close to her chest, watching them warily. Maddie turned to the stairs, setting the letter and the towel down on a set of boxes. "Sweetie, what are you doing up?"

Jazz shifted uncomfortably, pouting down at her mother. "I heard you yelling. What's going on?"

Jack leaned closer to her, muttering into her ear. "Madds, why don't you take the kid in here and call 911? I'll distract Jazz with some breakfast."

Maddie looked at him in alarm as her husband pushed the boy into her arms. "Jack, are you sure she she should be down here to see this?"

But Jack had already walked around her to the bottom of the stairs and threw his arms open wide. "Jazzypants! Now that you're up, how about pancakes?"

Jazz glanced over at Maddie, still uncertain of what was going on. Maddie held back a sigh, flashing her as bright of a smile as she could manage. "Go in the kitchen with Daddy, sweetie. If you're good, he might even let you help him cook."

Jazz cocked her head to the side. "Like when we made cookies?"

Maddie nodded. "Exactly." She backed up from the stairs as her daughter finally made her way down. Jack laughed in triumph and lifting her up onto his shoulder, talking excitedly and gently tickling her side to make her giggle, taking them both into the kitchen.

Maddie looked back down at the face of the sleeping boy, and grabbed the phone off of its cradle as she walked over to sit on the couch. She tucked the blankets around him tighter, and sitting him on her lap as she started dialing. Even as the operator asked her about the emergency, all she could bring herself to look at was the tiny face resting against her chest.

* * *

><p>Danny flew through the air, exhaustion setting in even as he shot across Amity Park. He quickly spotted Casper High, and changed his course. He blinked out of sight over the campus, before stalling midair over the roof and letting his tail meld back into legs, floating down without a sound. He sighed as he landed, transforming and letting his legs give out under him so that he could plop down onto the roof. "That took <em>way<em> too long..."

He took off his backpack and threw it to the side, and then fell onto his back, staring straight up at the sky. There wasn't a single cloud - just the slight darkening of the sky from the sun beginning to slide down to the horizon. He pulled out his phone and flipped it open. He flinched. It was already 4:30, which meant school was out. It also meant that Danny had only attended one class today, and it had been gym.

He groaned loudly, closing his eyes and lifting his head up before letting it fall against the roof with a satisfying thud. _An entire day of skipping school, and I didn't even get to enjoy it._ He'd missed the finals for History and French, both of which counted for half of his grade. He hit his head against the roof again, hard enough to sting. He was so screwed.

"Stupid ghost animals." He muttered to himself, sighing again and opening his eyes to stare up at the sky. If there was anything that was a waste of time, it was herds of weak ghosts that didn't want to fight. Oh, they'd terrorized the masses like usual, but the second he decided to show up, they all went scattering like cockroaches. All forty-nine of them.

The worst part was that he _knew_ they hadn't escaped the ghost zone all on their own, so now he'd have to sit and wait until whoever let them loose showed their damned face, which could be at any time. He groaned again, feeling the childish urge to start screaming. If only they could have showed up during patrol. Hell, he'd even made extra time for them that morning, with being out an extra two hour. His face went red as he remembered what happened with Mr. Lancer, and suddenly realized he'd also skipped out on his detention.

"I give up." He threw his arms over his face, blocking out the light. He wasn't going to move until curfew. It wasn't worth it today.

The door behind him clicked and slid open with a loud squeak. "Danny? Are you up there?"

"Jazz?" He lifted his arms up slightly, tilting his head back to blink up at his sister. "What are you doing up here?"

She raised an eyebrow, and tapped the metal casing around the item in her hand. With a start he realized it was the Fenton Finder. "Tucker and Sam said that you hadn't come back during lunch, and I offered to keep an eye out for you. I was getting a bit worried - you aren't usually gone this long on a school day."

"Yeah, well, I don't usually have to chase down enough dead animals to fill a petting zoo." He let his arms fall back over his face. "And hey, it looks like you just found me. You can go now."

Jazz huffed loudly, but Danny didn't look up. He heard her walk forward, footsteps getting closer, until they finally stilled above his head. Then things where quiet. _"Danny."_

Danny fought down a groan, moving his arms out of his face only to be dazed by the sun shining down behind Jazz, who was now leaning over him with hands on her hips. "Danny, what's wrong?"

The scowl on his face deepened. "Nothing."

She sighed, eyebrows crinkling as she looked down at him. "Don't be like that, little brother. You wouldn't be so upset if it was really nothing. Tell me what's wrong."

This time, Danny did groan. "Come off it, Jazz - I just want to be alone for half a minute without a ghost popping up, okay? Today sucked, and I don't want to talk about it right now. I just want a nap."

"Come on, Danny. You don't have time to sit up here and sulk - don't you have finals to think about?"

_Yeah, and I've already missed two of them._ Danny bit the inside of his cheek and rolled his eyes, looking away from his sister. He wasn't quite up to admitting that little fact yet.

Jazz sighed. "I'm not trying to annoy you, Danny. We where really worried - Sam and Tucker said you didn't have a much sleep last night."

He raised an eyebrow at her. "And that's a good enough reason to keep tabs on me?" He said, eyeing the Fenton Finder.

Jazz scowled lightly. "Its not like I trailed after you with it. I just kept the tracker on over lunch."

Danny snorted. "Whatever." He buried his head back in his arms.

Jazz sighed again, but didn't say anything. There was a shifting above him, Jazz moving down next to him but Danny just frowned and ignored it. Then something nudged his shoulder.

He lifted his arms with a growl, only to be met by a sandwich bag filled with cookies. He blinked, staring. Jazz nudged him with the bag again, wiggling it slightly. He reached over and grabbed it, the plastic crinkling in his hand. He stared up at the bag of cookies, a dark shape against the bright glare of the sun shining down in his eyes.

"Danny..." Jazz said. "I know things are hard sometimes, but just remember who's on your side, okay? You don't have to take on everything by yourself, we're more than capable of handling things." She stood back up. "That's what we're here for, not standing in as your punching bag."

Danny shifted uncomfortably. "…Sorry." He said quietly.

"It's okay." She said, shrugging. She smiled calmly, moving back towards the door. "You didn't really mean it - you've been having a really bad day. But you can't hide out here forever." Jazz said, clearly admonishing him.

Danny cringed, saying nothing.

She shook her head, opening the door back into the school. "Well, just don't sulk up here too long - my lunch period is almost over, and you don't want to be late to another class today, after what happened with Lancer."

Danny froze, and then his eyes darted back to her face. "…Wait, what?"

She flashed him a mischievous smile, stepping through the doorway. "News travels fast in high school, little brother. See you at home." The door clicked shut behind her.

"...Lunch?" He shot the door a disturbed look. _Did she just say-_ Danny shook his head, cutting off the thought. It didn't matter, as long as he could finally take a nap. It was probably him just hallucinating. He sighed as he settled against the ground, closing his eyes and letting his mind drift.

Then the bell rang, and Danny's eyes shot open.

* * *

><p>The police officer nodded, finishing up the last of her notes. "Well, I think that that will be all for now, Ms. Fenton." She said, moving to stand up, slipping a card out of her pocket. "I'll most likely talk to you again in the next few days, but if you remember anything, feel free to call." She scribbled and circled something on the card, and pointed to a set of newly-written numbers on the corner as she offered it to Maddie. "I'm not usually in the station, but if you call and enter in those extension numbers, you'll reach my answering machine. I check it a few times a day, so it wouldn't take long for me to get back to you."<p>

Maddie took the card, smiling up at the woman. "Thank you."

The woman nodded stiffly, turning to the man standing next to her. "You'll get back to me later, Stan?"

He flashed her a smile. "Of course."

"Good." She checked her pad over, before turning and flashing a tight smile at Maddie. "I hope you have a nice day, Mam."

Maddie watched her back as she walked briskly out of the hospital's waiting room.

The man chuckled and shook his head, drawing back her eye. He smiled at her, settling into the chair left by the policewoman. "She's a tough one, isn't she?"

Maddie laughed politely. "Oh I wouldn't go that far - it is rather early."

The man nodded. "Fair enough. I definitely didn't imagine getting something like this, when I woke up." His smile slipped slightly. "Not that I'm all that shocked."

"Does... does this happen often?" Maddie asked, voice going quiet.

"This? No, not quite like this." The man said. "We hardly ever get kids on an actual doorstep." He shook his head. "And _definitely_ not this old. Its usually just newborns."

"What?" Maddie voice rose, drawing the attention of the other people in the waiting room. She blushed, lowering her voice again. "But why? Why just- just _leave_ a baby for someone to find? That's horrible!"

"I know. It's not nice, but that's how it is." He sighed. "Its not quite the same here. This kid isn't a newborn, had good clothes, and was obviously well cared for at one point. And he was definitely left somewhere he'd be found, even if the doorstep of a private residence isn't a safest place to leave a kid." He sighed, rubbing his forehead. "Whoever did this seemed to really care for the kid, even if they couldn't take care of him anymore."

Maddie rubbed her hands together in her lap. "Do you think he'll be okay?"

"I know as much as you do, until the doctor gets back to me." He said plainly, before flashing her a smile. "I'm sure that kid will be okay once he's actually being treated, though - especially now that he's out of the cold."

Maddie paused, and then nodded. "Of course."

The man frowned. "Are you okay?"

Maddie glanced back to him, before shaking her head. "I-its nothing. Just, I..." She closed her mouth, before sighing loudly. "You're keeping track of him, right?" Stan nodded. "Would… would it be alright if I could have your number, to hear how he's doing? Just to know if he does okay."

The man started, looking at her in surprise, before laughing and shaking his head. "Of course - feel free to call and ask me all you'd like." He slid a slip of paper out of his chest pocket.

Maddie sighed in relief, gingerly taking the card. "Thank you."

He smiled, glancing off into the corridor where nurses and doctors where milling around. "I don't blame you for being worried about him. If hearing how he does sets your mind at ease, I'd be happy to help." There was a beeping noise, and the social worker took out his pager, frowning down at it. "Sorry, I'm going to need to take this." He closed his suitcase and stood. "I think all the questions have been covered already - you don't have to stay here any longer. I'm sure you want to get home and back to your family."

Maddie nodded, flashing him a smile as she moved to stand as well. "Of course, thank you."

The man was already walking down the hall as he flashed her one last smile, and Maddie was left in a dirty nightgown and house coat in the waiting room for the ER. It suddenly hit her, how ridiculous the situation felt, and she self consciously smoothed out her nightgown.

She looked down at herself, finally taking in everything that had happened that morning. The cotton fabric over her knees was dirty, and the entirety of her nightgown was still moist from the soaking wet jacket. She bit her lip, the boy's sick face appearing in her head again, and she glanced hesitantly over at the nurses station.

Maddie felt her heart sink. If it had been Jazz, she wouldn't have hesitated, rushing up to the doctor and pleading for any detail she could get her hands on. But... but despite how worried she was, the boy wasn't hers. She had no right to anything the doctor could know, and never would.

_So? You're still a mother, aren't you?_ She huffed to herself, squaring her shoulders and approached the line for the desk. She'd was already going to drive herself crazy thinking about it - it couldn't hurt to at least ask how he was.

A hand fell on her shoulder, making her just about jump out of her skin. She turned around, and was met with an older doctor with graying hair and a round figure smiling at her. "Maddie, you look like a mess. A very charming mess, mind you, but still."

Maddie frowned, searching his face. "Excuse me, but do I know you…?"

"I feel insulted." He said, sounding playful. "You mean you don't even recognize me?"

Maddie blinked at him owlishly, before suddenly starting. "Dr. Macomb?"

"The one and only."

She gasped. "Oh my! I didn't even realize - you look ten years younger without your beard."

He nodded knowingly. "Yep, the wife finally talked me into cutting it off. Complained that it was like kissing a bear or something."

Maddie laughed. "Oh, I could imagine. Why do you think I never let Jack have one?"

Doctor Macomb chuckled. "I always wondered about that. He'd go on and on about getting one, but never seemed to get around to actually doing it, even after five years. Let me guess - that's why I've suddenly been seeing you more often, during check ups with miss Jazzypants?"

"Do you even have to ask?" She said.

He shook his head. "Sly, sly woman."

"But what are you doing here, Dr. Macomb? You're a pediatrician."

"That I am. However, this hospital had been, well, a bit short staffed in the last few months. A lot of people have been leaving recently." He shook his head. "I was told to come down here and check in on a sick kid." He looked at her meaningfully. "One that you're a bit familiar with, from what I understand."

Maddie's eyes widened. "_You're_ treating him?"

He nodded, glancing to the empty chairs where she had been sitting. "Yep. I realized you where involved when I saw you talking with the social worker. Where's he off to, anyways?"

"Well..." She frowned slightly, thinking. "He went out for a minute - something about needing to make a call. I'm sure he'll be back."

Dr. Macomb sighed. "Guess I'll have to wait until he gets back, then."

"So you really have been the one treating that boy?" She said.

He nodded. "He's been an odd one." He admitted, face falling into a slight frown. "He's got quite a fever, but no where near high enough to warrant him being completely unresponsive like he is."

Maddie rung her hands, eyes wide. "It wasn't because he was left out in the rain, was it?"

The doctor sighed. "I honestly don't know, Maddie. He's sick enough that it just can't have happened overnight, but we have no clue why he's so unresponsive. I doubt it helped him much, though."

"Will he be alright? He's only a little thing..."

He smiled at her reassuringly. "I'm sure he'll be okay, Maddie. He's young, but he wouldn't be the first kid through this hospital to have pneumonia." He rested a hand on her shoulder. "He might be in a rough spot, but that's not an excuse for you to feel like its your fault."

Maddie laughed, forcing a small smile onto her face. "I know, I know, but I can't help it. He was so small, like Jazz was a few years ago. And to just have him left at my doorstep..."

"You know… you can see him, if you want." The man said gently, squeezing Maddie's shoulder.

Maddie blinked. "You'll let me go in?"

The man just smiled at her. "Of course." He patted her shoulder and lowered his arm, the smile slipping into a smirk. "I've already broken patient confidentiality, and you know what they say - in for a penny, in for a pound. Besides, I've seen you with Jazz enough times to know you're not going to calm down until you see what's going on for yourself." He stepped back, motioning to the hallway. "Now, come on before that social worker comes back. I'd rather not get told off for this, and if you could fail to mention this to anyone…?"

Maddie nodded. "Of course."

He led her down the hall, trying to look casual. "In here." He said, finally stopping at a door. "Fourth bed on the left."

"Thank you, Dr. Macomb." She said. "You have no idea how much this means to me."

"Believe me, Maddie, I completely understand." He pushed the door open. "Be quick now, alright?" Maddie nodded, ducking inside.

The room was quiet, closed off from the muffled bustling in the halls, and Maddie glanced around the sparse room as she counted the curtained beds on the left. One of the beds had the curtain pulled back, and through it she could see small face looking at her. She blinked, and waved at the little boy. She smiled and caught the eye of the mother as the woman turned around, and flinched as the woman acknowledged her by closing the curtain.

She shook her head, hearing the boy whining to his mom quietly, and came up on the fourth curtain. Very quietly, she pushed it aside, and ducked in.

And there he was, head on a small pillow and body draped in a thin blanket, was the toddler that was left outside her door, face flushed and a tube down his throat. For a while, she just stood there, feeling like it was the only respectable thing for a stranger to do, before stepping closer. Her legs bumped into the side of the hospital bed, making a creak so quiet she could barely hear it, and she leaned over to look straight down at his face.

He was so young. Maddie reached out, combing her fingers through the boy's messy hair. Her heart clenched, feeling guilty conscience telling her she was overstepping a boundary. She didn't know what was possessing her to do it. But he was so small, and young enough to be her and Jacks child.

Maddie felt something catch inside her throat, and her eyes grew warm as the boy's face was distorted with tears. She reached up with her other hand and wiped her eyes, taking a deep breath. Yes, that was probably it.

She turned away from the boy, pulling her hand away from his hair, and looked at the medical equipment around the bed. She didn't recognize any of it, but that hardly mattered - any distraction was a good distraction.

And that was when she noticed it on a tray. Stored away in a large plastic bag, folded up neatly, were the jammies the boy had been wearing when she'd found him. And neatly displayed in one of the corners was a name, spelled out in decorative stitching.

DANIEL

* * *

><p>"So, the Nasty Burger it is?"<p>

Danny started, turning to look at Sam. "Huh?"

She raised an eyebrow. "Where you even listening?"

Danny cringed, fidgeting as he reached up to rub the back of his head. "Err, no, not really. Sorry."

"Danny, are you sure you're feeling okay?" Sam asked, frowning slightly. "You've been a bit out of it since you got back after lunch."

Danny flashed her a grin. "Yeah, I'm fine. Today's been a bit… much." _Understatement of the century._ He closed his locker with a clang, zipping up his backpack. He honestly wasn't so sure anymore if he _was_ okay, but he wasn't exactly going to go tell her that. At least not yet.

He shouldered his backpack and started walking to the doors, glancing at Sam curiously. "Do you know where Tucker went? Its weird for him to not get here before you."

She shrugged. "No clue. He was going on about asking Hilary out during lunch, though." Sam said, rolling her eyes. "He's probably accosting her outside of her class or something."

Danny sighed, shaking his head with a smile as he pushed through the front doors, immediately taking note of the heat. "Tucker, Tucker, Tucker. When will he ever learn?"

"Hey!" Both Danny and Sam turned back to catch a look of their pouting best friend, waiting for them on the steps. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing, Mr. T.F. "Too Fine" Foley." Sam said, smirking.

Tucker huffed, before a devious smile bloomed on his face. "This coming from Mr. and Ms. "The Lovebirds" Fenton."

Sam went red, and Danny felt his face heat right up with hers. They both shot him dirty looks. "Tucker..." Sam growled.

He held out his palms placatingly, still grinning like an idiot. "Hey, if you didn't want to face the heat, don't drag the chef to the kitchen." He laughed, shaking his head. "Seriously though, why do you guys still act all embarrassed about it when you're already dating?"

Danny glanced up at the sky, begging for some extra patience. "Well, I don't know. Maybe its the fact that everyone and their dog still acts like its a big deal every time we so much as hold hands." He said tersely, hands tightening around his backpack straps. "You'd think we where on display or something."

Tucker laughed. "Oh yeah, the Lovebird exhibit is rather popul- _Argh_, Sam!" He yelped, dodging the sprays of water haphazardly. "No, please! Think of my baby!"

Danny looked over his shoulder curiously, only to see that Sam aiming a water gun with gleeful precision. "Aww, the little Techno-geek can't take a little water logging?" She aimed down at his cargo pants, water splashing off of the side pocket at his knee.

_"Quit it!"_

Danny snorted, face twisting up trying not to laugh. Sam shot Tucker in the crotch, making him yelp. Danny couldn't help it and started sniggering.

"Traitor!" Tucker yelled, pointing an accusing finger at Danny that made him laugh harder. "Dude, so not cool - what type of best friend are you?"

"W-what do you want me to do? Take the shot for you?"

Tucker huffed. "Dude, seriously. Whatever happened to bros before ho-" He suddenly cut himself off, eyes wide. "Uh."

_"What was that?"what?"_

"Sam-" He said weakly, reaching out for his girlfriend.

"Tucker, you are so. _dead."_ She said, voice low. Danny flinched, drawing his hand back. Sam took a threatening step forward.

Tucker ran screaming.

"GET YOUR ASS BACK HERE!"

"OH GOD, DON'T LET HER KILL ME!"

Danny stood there, staring after his friends as they trampled over the grass, Sam periodically shooting Tucker in the back of the head with the water pistol, before sighing and shaking his head, jogging to catch up despite the looks they where getting. Not that he minded much, really - they _where_ heading in the direction of the Nasty Burger, and he'd still hadn't eaten much today. He could really go for some food right now.

When he caught up with them outside of the fast food restaurant, Sam was looking smug while Tucker squeezed out his sobbing wet hat, scowling to himself the entire time.

"You two work things out?" He asked, a slight smile on his face as he pushed open the door to the Nasty Burger.

"Of course." Sam replied, sounding uncharacteristically chipper. She pushed open the second door, walking side-by-side with Danny.

"Yeah, sure." Tucker griped, taking up the rear. "You'll be getting my bill in the mail tomorrow."

"Your PDA is in your backpack Tucker, not on your head."

Tucker scoffed, shoving his beret back onto his head.

Danny just rolled his eyes, reaching out to take Sam's hand. "Come on, I didn't get any lunch today. Can we just order something and-" A sudden gasp cut him off, and his breath was misting. Danny scowled. "_Now_ what?"

There was a loud explosion from outside, sending the ground shaking. Everyone in the restaurant went quiet, shrinking back even as they all desperately looked out the windows. People ran down the streets outside. A flash of movement, and something crashed through the window.

Shattered glass went skidding everywhere, and everyone was screaming, scattering to get out of the building. Danny took his chance, and ran straight towards the bathroom. He slipped in, transformed, and flew intangibly out into the street.

He spotted the ghost immediately, floating in the distance above a deformed ghostly rhino - it ether had way too many eyes, or way too many faces, Danny couldn't tell - charging through the streets. Danny snorted. _Should have guessed it was Skulker._

He shot straight at him, fist driving into Skulker's back. The hunter was sent headlong into a building, smashing into the front windows.

The walls of the shop crumbled, sending more people running. Once the dust had settled, there was a loud, booming laugh from the rubble, whic crashed through an intangible body. "Ah, ghost child, what a pleasant surprise."

Danny snorted. "You know, I might actually believe that, if you didn't act like some weird stalker." He made a show of standing up straight in midair, lifting his head high and smirking. "By the way, is there something you wanted to tell me, Skulker? Not that it matters much - I _do_ have a girlfriend, you know."

Skulker growled. "You will regret that, whelp."

The mech activated his jetpack andshot out of the building straight at him. Danny dodged at the last second, kicking off of Skulker's back."Do you ever get sick of me handing your metal ass to you?"

"Don't be foolish, whelp. You can't escape the Ghost Zone's greatest hunter forever."

Danny laughed, twisting around with a witty comeback on the tip of his tongue, and stared.

Skulker's suit was different. The mech was decked out in a black and gunmetal chrome so clean and crisp he could literally see the sun shining off of Skulker's shoulders. He didn't have just a mohawk anymore - he had a full head of fiery hair. The fire that made it up was longer, shaggier, and framed his face like sideburns. The clothing was gone, replaced by a chassey shaped into a barrel chest even larger than the last one. Everything was bigger, from the arms to the hands to the wicked razor toothed smile that was spreading over the ghost's face.

"Whoa, what's with the new look?" Danny asked.

"Oh, you noticed? I've moved up to a new model." The grin spread widerover the set of razor teeth. "And it's much faster and more powerful than my last one."

Danny snorted. "Your stupid cat-and-mouse games always end the same way, Skulker - a shiny suit is hardly going to make a difference." He put his hands together, quickly powering up a blast, and took a pot shot at the ghost. It slammed into Skulker's chest, sending him back. Skulker looked down at the steaming ding on his new paint job, and growled. A rocket launcher popped out of the mech's shoulder, and fired.

Danny immediately went on the defensive, twisting and turning wildly to avoid the volley of weaponry. Skulker was on him in seconds, metal shoulder slamming into Danny's side, throwing him back. Danny twisted in the air, righting himself, turning to face him, and his eyes popped open wide as something long shot out at him in a blur. He dodged to the side, turning intangible. He yelled in alarm as it ripped into his arm, and dropped out of the sky in a desperate attempt to dodge as the weapon almost wrapped around him. He flew backwards, putting distance between him and the hunter, letting the intangibility drop.

Skulker smiled viciously down at him as the chain vanished back into his hand, metal grinding on metal. "Oh, did I forget to tell you? I added some new weapons."

Danny touched his arm delicately, feeling cold wetness under the torn material of the jumpsuit, cringing. Danny's eyes narrowed on Skulker, suddenly wary.

Skulker darted forward, and the chain struck out like a snake. Danny threw himself to the side, barely dodging. "I think that one works rather well, don't you?" He yelled. "I had it specially made to cause as much damage as possible."

Danny scoffed. "So you've got a few new toys - big deal." He said, floating back up and meet the ghost eye to eye. "I can still take you easy."

"I've gotten more than 'a few toys' here, whelp." Skulker's grin widened. "But I guess you'll just have to wait and see."

Danny cringed, quickly scanning the ground. Everyone outside of Sam and Tucker had ether run or taken cover, trying to avoid the rhino, which was carefully being cornered. Good. That meant he didn't have to stick to a dog fight. He shot a blast at Skulker, forcing him back, before closing in.

of his fists hit Skulker like a sledge hammer, sending him to the ground. The mech caught himself mid air, jet pack activating to let him hover before shooting back up.

Danny met him head on, barely moving out of the way of the razor chain shot at him, following down its length at top speed. He gathered a blast into his hand, and pushed his arm forward.

He slammed into Skulker's shoulder, crushing the metal and scraping the engines on the jet pack. Skulker stumbled, but the force of the activated jet pack kept him airborn. He growled, drawing his right fist back, and punched Danny in the chest.

Danny went sailing. He hit something hard before he could even think of going intangible, a low metal ringing resounding like a gong straight in his ears. Pain exploded through his back, leaving him stunned. He fell to the ground, and felt as well as heard the loud crash of something falling and breaking on the pavement behind him. He forced his eyes open, biting his lip and trying to force the shock of pain down, looking up at Skulker from on his knees.

The mech smiled cockily at him, blatantly enjoying the pain he was in. With a loud grinding, the razor chain was pulled back into Skulker's arm. "I think you've had enough of a chance to fight, today." He said, mock casual air to his voice. He reached down into his belt and pulled out a small steel disk.

He threw it at Danny, and Danny immediately dodged to the side, pulling his arms close into a roll before pushing himself off of the ground. His eyes narrowed in on Skulker again, hands glowing a bright blue as he charged up an ice enhanced blast.

The metal grin spread a little wider.

Something slammed into Danny's wrist, sending the blast careening into a storefront. Danny's eyes widened. "What the -" There was a loud whirring, as something locked around his wrist, and he looked down to see a glowing cuff. It vibrated against his glove, glowing brighter, and Danny felt a spike of panic. He grabbed it with his other hand, trying to tear it off, only for tendrils of energy to shoot out and enclose the other wrist and solidifying into handcuffs. Danny's mouth fell open.

There was booming laughter, and he looked up to see Skulker, arms crossed and head leaned back, laugh his ass off. "It looks like I was right - the look on your face when you where finally trapped _was_ hilarious." He looked back to Danny, vicious grin still in place. He lifted up his right arm, aiming it straight at Danny, and the grin turned a tad more vicious. "This part, though, I will enjoy even more."

Danny tensed. The chain shot out at him again, and he flew back, crouching low in the air as the chain passed over him. He yelped as a unsuspecting blast nicked his shoulder, and he looked up only to see Skulker activate the missile launcher from in his shoulder again.

Danny dodged, legs twisting into a ghostly tail. He held his hands to his chest as he maneuvered around the hail of missiles, going intangible and sliding through the ground and letting them slam into the pavement.

He twisted around, flying through the street to circle around behind Skulker. He peaked out, careful to keep his head invisible, and frowned as he saw Skulker glancing around warily. He tugged experimentally on the handcuffs, only to feel the connection stretch between them. He fought back a curse, seeing Skulker pull out a tracking panel. _Damnit, I don't have time for this!_

He narrowed his eyes and shot forward like a bullet, arms shooting out to punch the metallic ghost-

-and shot straight through with no resistance. There was the loud grinding of metal, and Danny whipped around to see the chain coming straight at him, Sam screaming in the distance.

_"DANN-"_ And then Sam's voice was muffled to nothing, along with everything else.

Silence. Deafening silence. Skulker's chain slid to a standstill, the flash of metal turning into the lazy glide of liquid in a lava lamp, inches from his neck. Danny's heart was pounding, slower and slower, punctuated by the dead silence, and the air suddenly felt like molasses in his lungs. He choked, head swimming and spots forming in his eyes. He tried desperately to breathe, to move, grab at his throat, _blink_, and like a light switch halfway flipped clicking over to the other side, his body rushed back at him with a vengeance.

Danny gasped, sputtering on nothing and falling into a coughing fit, dipping down a few feet in the air. He took a few deep, wheezing breaths, reaching up to touch his throat. His heart was beating wildly off of adrenaline, and he was still breathing hard when he peeled his eyes open.

He stared. Skulker was frozen in front of him, suspended in midair. He reached out hesitantly and touched the chain. It was solid. He slowly turned his head, looking out over the street, everything from the buildings to the air itself covered in a layer of unnatural stillness. "What the hell...?"

"I believe." Danny gasped, whipping around, ready to dodge. But when he saw who it was, he stopped. Floating in front of him, staff in hand, was Clockwork. "That that is my cue."

Danny relaxed. "Geez, don't scare me like that." He said, floating closer. "Why'd you stop me in the middle of a fight? It's not really like you to do that."

The ghost frowned, shaking his head. His figure faded out, being replace by a toddler. "That was not my intention, Daniel. But this is not the place for us to be discussing this." He turned and lifted his staff. In a flash of blue, a circular ghost portal had appeared. "Come with me - you don't have much time."

Danny smirked, raising an eyebrow. "That seems a little far-fetched, when I'm around you. And, you know," he pointed back at Skulker over his shoulder. "that."

Clockwork did not respond, child body fading out and replaced with that of an old man. "Follow me." He went through the portal.

Danny, without a second thought, went after him.


End file.
